MERALCO was quick to draw the line and hit back at Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao for labelling veteran forward Cliff Hodge the ‘dirtiest player in the PBA.’
Meralco management on Monday came out with a formal statement condemning Guiao’s assertion about the 38-year-old forward, who has played his entire 14-year career with the franchise.
READ Hodge says he's not taking Yeng Guiao's tirade personally
READ Guiao brands Hodge 'the dirtiest player in PBA' after Nocum scare
The organization said Guiao’s imputation was uncalled for.
“We therefore take very strong exception to the unfair, unfounded, and unprofessional statement that the head coach of Rain or Shine, coach Yeng Guiao uttered in public during his post-game interview against our player Mr. Cliff Hodge, whom he unjustly maligned in public by calling him ‘the dirtiest player in the PBA.’
Guiao made the remark following the Elasto Painters’ thrilling 85-83 win over the Bolts at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday night in a game highlighted by the mid-air collision between Hodge and rising Rain or Shine star Adrian Nocum.
Hodge extended his knee against a driving Nocum in the third-quarter incident that left both players down on the floor and grimacing in pain.
The two were later substituted and had to be assisted on their way to their respective benches.
Hodge was eventually called for an unsportsmanlike foul in the play.
Shortly after the game, Guiao made his strong-worded take on the 38-year-old Fil-Am.
Meralco management however, came to the defense of Hodge, who was the team’s no. 4 overall pick in the 2012 draft.
“Cliff Hodge has been a Defensive Player of the Year awardee, and named to the All-Defensive Team multiple times through the years because of the energy and passion that he has been known to play with, and this should not be taken against him,” said the team as part of its statement.
"In the play involving Adrian Nocum, Cliff simply stepped in to try to draw a charge in a defensive stance position. The contact was incidental and should not be misconstrued as a dirty play," it added.
Meralco also put on record that it will not condone any unprofessional conduct in the PBA.
"We hold all our coaches, players, and staff to always observe the highest level of professionalism, decorum, and conduct in all the games we play here and abroad. We take immense pride in the intensity and passion of our players whenever they play and compete on the basketball court," said the team.
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